Beady-eyed observers have been quick to pick up on the earrings' likeness to Blackamoor artworks, which have been denounced in the past for romanticising the slave trade (think gaudily painted turbaned-and-jewelled-up black Africans in various subservient poses). Critics also pointed out that the expansive 86-strong cast of models were all white.

According to
Vogue
, Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana have since clarified that the earrings are a homage to the Moors, Muslims settlers who arrived in Sicily in the 10th century. The island has been a long-time muse of the label and is the birthplace of Dolce; it was chosen as the location for the label's inaugural couture show in July.

It's not the first time that earrings have been the subject of a racism row: last year,
Vogue Italia
published a feature online referring to a pair of large, gold hoops as "slave earrings". The magazine subsequently apologised and blamed it on "bad translating".